Improve mental wellbeing by learning new things

There are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life. You could learn about a new topic, pick up a new skill or just refresh your knowledge of something you already have an interest in. Doing any of these things can help to support your mental wellbeing.

Benefits of learning for mental wellbeing

Setting goals to learn or try new things can give you purpose. You may also get a sense of achievement when working towards or meeting these goals. This can benefit your mental wellbeing by making you feel more optimistic and satisfied.

There are lots of ways to learn with other people, including through classes or a local club. Trying new activities helps you build and strengthen social relationships, which can have a positive impact on your mental wellbeing.

Ways to keep learning

There are many ways to bring more learning into your life, even if you’re short of time. It doesn’t have to be formal lessons or instructions.

You could:

learn to cook one of your favourite foods that you’ve never eaten at home
visit a gallery or museum and learn about a topic that interests you
take on a new responsibility at work, like mentoring a new employee or presenting to other teams in your organisation
try a new hobby that challenges you, like writing a journal or painting
do something creative like baking or photography
listen to new podcasts
try to read a different genre of book, or listen to it as an audiobook if you prefer

Building activities that you enjoy into your routine can help to maintain good mental wellbeing.